UFC fighters Farid and Javid Basharat, who hail from Afghanistan, have been denied the right to walk out with their home country’s flag due to the UFC not recognizing the current Afghanistan flag under the Taliban regime.
Dana White, UFC’s head honcho, recently announced a policy shift. Fighters can now enter the ring flying their home country’s flag. But it seems this rule won’t extend to Farid Basharat, a promising bantamweight contender, or his elder brother, Javid.
The Basharat brothers are Afghan natives. Afghanistan, now under Taliban rule, adopted a new flag in 2021. The new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s flag differs from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s, which had global recognition until the current regime took over.
Consequently, Afghan fighters can’t enter the ring with their homeland’s flag. Basharat doesn’t foresee a change in this rule. His brother Javid was already denied this request during his recent UFC 294 bout in Abu Dhabi.
“I’d love to walk out with the flag, but I don’t think they’re allowing the Afghanistan flag,” Basharat shared with MMA Fighting. “Not the Afghanistan flag.”
They tried to get permission for Javid in Abu Dhabi, but it was a no-go. The current government’s flag isn’t recognized, and the old one isn’t official. So, what flag could they bring? The Afghanistan flag remains off-limits.
It’s a letdown, but it’s beyond Basharat’s control. Ideally, he’d like to walk to the octagon with his homeland’s flag. A beacon of hope for those still in Afghanistan, a country plagued by decades of war and strife.
Basharat gets it. His family had to flee Afghanistan. That’s why he’d love to give his people a glimmer of hope amid the darkness.
“When you’re coming up in the game, you visualize those big moments,” Basharat said. “For me, I always visualize the Afghanistan flag with me, representing my people.”
He’ll always represent his people, flag or no flag. But having the flag would be a nice visual symbol for his people.
Afghanistan’s struggles over the past 40-50 years are no secret. It’s been a tough ride for the country, with war breeding a generation of children affected by conflict. Basharat and his brother are living proof of this, having spent time in a refugee camp.
Basharat now lives and trains in the U.S., specifically Las Vegas, but he grew up in the U.K. He never forgets his roots, but he feels a sense of homelessness as he walks to the cage.
“To this day, I feel there’s something that feels empty a little bit,” Basharat confessed. “I can go to Vegas [or wherever], and I still feel like I’m some ways that I don’t have a home.”
For Basharat and Javid, it’s about representing Afghans and inspiring them. They want to show that they too are products of war but with the right mindset and attitude, one can go far.
Basharat, set to compete at UFC Vegas 84 on Jan. 13, didn’t start fighting to inspire others. But it’s become a welcome addition to his journey as he maintains his undefeated record.
He hopes the UFC will change its stance on the Afghanistan flag. Regardless, he’ll continue to be a symbol for his people.
“Ultimately, like I always say, representing the Afghan people and inspiring the Afghan people, the next generation, is one of the biggest things that motivates me,” Basharat said. “Some of that is hinged on our success. The more success we have, the more we can inspire and the more people we reach.”
He’s always thinking about whether he’s doing right by his people. Are he and Javid reflecting their community correctly? They’ll always represent their people, but it’s a shame they can’t carry their flag.